We woke up around 7:30 to the sound of the rooster in the park across the street. We packed up our stuff and headed to IHOP for breakfast, and some people ran out to get coffee. After we were all filled we headed to the lobby to meet up with everyone. We met as a group and walked to the beach in Waikiki. At the beach we boarded a catamaran and began our trip to the reef and some students sat on nets over top of the water. The group bonded over their excitement for snorkeling and the amazing playlist we had created. As we made our way to turtle canyon we learned about how to snorkel and water safety, and not to touch the turtles. Once the boat was anchored we put our gear on, and we all laughed about how funny we looked.
Mr. Cotter led the group and was the first person to jump into the water; the rest of the group joined quickly after him. We all swam to the back of the boat, looking down in amazement at all the fish swimming under us. The goal of the tour was to see the endangered Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles that inhabited the reef. After a few minutes a few students called out that they could see a turtle and the rest of the group gathered and looked under for the turtles. Many students found that they could get a better look by swimming underwater with their GoPros. It was truly amazing to be able to see different types of animals that we had never seen before. Being that close to wildlife in their natural habitat was a once-in-a lifetime experience. After seeing many turtles and colorful fish, our time was over and we made our way back onto the boat and removed our gear. We were given local Hawaiian juice to enjoy under the sun as we made our way back to land.
In the afternoon we got the opportunity to go to the Polynesian Cultural Center. This center is a special place where visitors can come and learn about the different Polynesian cultures: Aotearoa, Fiji, Hawaii, Rapa Nui, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga, and other islands, including the Cook Islands, Tuvalu and others. We did a self-guided tour of the villages that went with each culture. In the villages we were greeted by members of each island so they could teach about their cultures through interactive presentations and demonstrations. Some of the activities the leaders hosted include learning percussion in Fiji and a warrior class in Tonga. After a full day of exploring the villages we ate a delicious buffet dinner at the center and then finished the evening with a show. This gave us the opportunity to learn about all the cultures in an interdisciplinary way by creating a story of a boy whose life experiences came with lessons taught in each of the cultures. The finale included amazing fire dancing! – Ava, Janiah, & Emma